Legends of Rupganj climb to second

Legends of Rupganj climbed to second in the Dhaka Premier League with a 22-run win over newly-promoted City Club at the ULAB cricket ground yesterday in a match curtailed due to a wet outfield.

Skipper Naeem Islam continued his rich vein of form during a steady partnership with Chirag Jani after being sent in to bat. Chirag (51) and Naeem contributed with a 107-run stand for the third wicket to provide a great launching pad for Rupganj, but medium pacer Abdul Halim scalped both batters in the 28th and 30th overs respectively. The innings never quite got going again as Rupganj stalled and reached 225 for nine in their allotted 40 overs. Naeem's score of 52 was his lowest in a game this season.

City Club lost quick wickets at the start, struggling against the likes of Al Amin Hossain and Chirag, who scalped four wickets for 28 runs. Pacer Mehedi Hasan Rana bagged two wickets for 34 runs in his five overs as City were eventually bowled out for 203 runs.

At BKSP, newly-promoted Rupganj Tigers Cricket Club picked up their third win with a 36-run victory over Khelaghar Samaj Kallyan Samity.

Asked to bat, Aparajith Baba's 120-ball 98 and fifties from Fazle Mahmud and Marshall Ayub propelled Rupganj Tigers to 259 for seven.

Khelaghar found the going difficult early on, slumping to 54 for four in 13 overs, but fifties from Salman Khan and Elias Sunny saw them reach solid ground.

Rupganj Tigers bowlers Nasum Ahmed, Mukidul Islam, Enamul Haque Jr, Sharifullah and Farhad Reza chipped in with two wickets each as Khelaghar were bowled out for 223 in 46.3 overs.